RTI

I have noticed an increased amount of “RTI” pins on pinterest lately and I’ve decided to touch on this subject. I have put in several hours of research into RTI (Response to Intervention) . I can write about this program on and on and on, but I am going to try my best and explain our RTI process during the next couple of posts (they’ll be short, I PROMISE).  The first question is how to start RTI. Many states provide the RTI program for teachers and train them, but then there are those that have to research RTI on their own. I focus on 2 subjects when it comes to RTIing a student, they are Reading and Math. I like to test and observe students to see where they are academically and/ or if they are on grade level at the beginning of the school year. Every student is screened on a periodic basis to identify struggling learners. We tier our students on 3 different levels. Tier 1 students are on grade level and I work with these students about once or twice a week during Guided Reading (Daily 5) and Guided Math time. Tier 2 students,  are on grade level and need group instruction more than tier 1 students but less than tier 3, during this time we practice and learn skills that have already been taught during whole group instruction. At the tier 3 level students receive intensive interventions that target specific Reading and/or Math skills. I meet with tier 3 students everyday during my Guided Reading and Math groups. I’m going to start “backwards” here. I want to emphasize on what I do during my Tier 3 intervention, which is longer to explain. Once I feel that I have fully explained Tier 3, then I’ll move onto my Tier 2 level interventions, finally to my Tier 1 groups. These require separate posts! I’ve been working on my Tier 3 packets and I’ll leave you with a freebie for now. I use this blending activity during Guided Reading (daily 5) with my Tier 3 students who need intensive interventions on blending words. Before I start my very first post on RTI, I would love to hear what ya'll do for RTI or how you implement or if you have any questions! Enjoy!

This is what I am working on next. I have had these for YEARS and it's time for me to re-do them and I will share them with you all as soon as I am done. Yes, those are Nestle, Quick containers!

Daily 5 Part 1

I started Daily 5 in 2011 and I feel like I am now comfortable enough to blog about it and how I started out. When I first started Daily 5 I was completely lost, I had no idea where to start or what to do. But then I discovered Pinterest, Oh My Word! I was in Education Heaven!  I found the Daily 5 for Dummies compiled by Jayne Haenel. Click the picture to grab your copy. It has instructions for the first 20 days of the daily 5 with CAFE instructions also. It's an awesome resource and it has truly helped me kick start Daily 5 in my classroom. ***UPDATE: I found a website where you can download it for free, just click here or click on the picture.

Daily 5 asks to incorporate 5 individual anchor charts on how the stations are supposed to look like. You fill out the anchor charts with your students. Once all the anchor charts are filled out it is suggested to keep these anchor charts up throughout the year so students can refer back to them and remember the "rules."

My classroom is in a portable and I have limited space, so having all 5 anchor charts up was taking up so much valuable space. I still plan to fill out my anchor charts in the beginning of the school year because it helps introduce Daily 5 to the students. I love how Mrs. Lemons has her anchor charts ready to be used for this school year. I plan on making mine look just like this. Thanks Mrs. Lemons!!!

After having the anchor charts up for about 3 weeks or so I will exchange all 5 posters for ONE anchor chart. This anchor chart will stay up through out the year saving me wall space. 

Once my students have mastered the rules of daily 5 they are ready to start their stations. I group my students according to their reading levels. My students to do not get to choose which station they would like to work on. I have a system that I use that tells them which station they are to work on. I put Velcro behind the labels and names so I can switch them around when necessary. 

You can download the station labels for free here.

I strongly suggest you start off by reading the Daily 5 book by "The Sisters" during the summer just to get your feet wet and get a better understanding of what Daily 5 is all about. 

DIY Whisper Phones

I have been wanting to make whisper phones for my class to use during Read to Self and guided reading groups. I found this picture in pinterest and was sad to see that the blog is no longer available :( If by any chance you come across the actual site please let me know so I can give credit.

UPDATE: I have finally found the owner of this picture!! WooHoo! Thanks Kickin it with Class for sharing!

So I decided to jump in and blog about it. I stopped by Home Depot and ask for a 3/4 in. PVC pipe. The pipe is 10ft long and it's only  $2.18. I then saw a man in the aisle with a cutting machine and told him I was a teacher and was making phones for reading and asked very nicely if he could cut the 10 ft pipe into 3 1/2 inch pieces.

I was going to buy individual PVC elbow pipes for 0.42 cents, but then I saw a bag of 10 for only $2.20 saving me $10 for a total of five bags.

 Once I got home I had my strong husband assemble them. 

He had so much fun!

Once they were all assembled I wrapped color duct tape around them and WAALAA they are all set and ready to be used.

My class loved using the whisper phones!

Here's the price break down:

1  3/4 PVC Pipe 10 ft long = $2.18

5 bags of Elbow PVCs = $11.00

Duct Tape = already had it

Total for each piece = $0.52 each phone (25 phones)

Now thats an awesome deal!!!

Work on Writing Folder Kit

I made these work on writing folders for quite some time already and I am just coming around to sharing them with you all. My students LOVE the folders as do I. These folders act as "privacy folders" because they have a big "Writer at Work Do Not Disturb" sign on the back of them.  It was extremely easy to put the folders together. I first purchased colored manila folders because they are just too cute in color. I put 2 folders together and taped together. I then printed my kit onto white paper (I would probably use sticker paper now that I discovered it) and glued them onto the manila folders. Once I glued everything I wanted on my folders, I took them in to get laminated at a store just because our school's laminater is too thin. 

On the picture above you are able to see the "Do Not Disturb Writer at Work" sign on the red folder. On the outside flaps of the folders I put fry's word so my students can easily look up a word and spell it correctly. I also placed a Digraph Chart on there (sorry I don't remember where I got it from so I just smudged it out). I have a work on writing section next to my word work section. In the orange slots my students are able to grab their Work on Writing Folders along with any other materials they need with it.

On the picture below you can see the inside part of the folder. My students use this portion of the folder to help them pick something to write about and give their brains a head start. 

You can find the Work on Writing Folder Kit at my TPT store. Just click on picture below to grab yours.

Word Work Made Easy

I have been MIA, being a Mommy is wonderful! It's extremely tuff to keep an updated blog with a year and half old boy. My son keeps me BUSY. I finally uploaded my word work packet to my TPT store. The first 5 people to comment will receive the packet for FREEEEEEE! Make sure you add your email address so that I can email you the packet. 

Here are my students at work using the activities that are included in this packet.  

Work on Writing Journal Covers

We've had training's alllll weeeek loooong! And it's exhausting! I just wish we had more time to work on our classrooms and organizing :( Our school would like for us to start implementing guided math into our classrooms.  I'm really excited to start this process, I have seen BUILD on pinterest and think it would be awesome to incorporate it with guided math. I just need to find some time to sit down and read this book to understand it a bit more. Is anyone else using BUILD? If so, I would love to hear more about it!

Our classrooms are almost done! We'll be posting pictures as soon as everything is ready to go. I have been working on little things such as getting my daily 5 centers ready. I have seen so many teachers creating their own work on writing journal covers and so many cute ones I decided to create some of my own and share them all with you. Click on the picture to download your free copy.

Mrs. Concepcion